madame bovary-第56部分

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admired　the　exaltation　of　her　soul　and　the　lace　on　her　petticoat。
Besides；　was　she　not　〃a　lady〃　and　a　married　womana　real
mistress；　in　fine？

By　the　diversity　of　her　humour；　in　turn　mystical　or　mirthful；
talkative；　taciturn；　passionate；　careless；　she　awakened　in　him　a
thousand　desires；　called　up　instincts　or　memories。　She　was　the
mistress　of　all　the　novels；　the　heroine　of　all　the　dramas；　the
vague　〃she〃　of　all　the　volumes　of　verse。　He　found　again　on　her
shoulder　the　amber　colouring　of　the　〃Odalisque　Bathing〃；　she　had
the　long　waist　of　feudal　chatelaines；　and　she　resembled　the　〃Pale
Woman　of　Barcelona。〃　But　above　all　she　was　the　Angel！

Often　looking　at　her；　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　soul；　escaping
towards　her；　spread　like　a　wave　about　the　outline　of　her　head；
and　descended　drawn　down　into　the　whiteness　of　her　breast。　He
knelt　on　the　ground　before　her；　and　with　both　elbows　on　her　knees
looked　at　her　with　a　smile；　his　face　upturned。

She　bent　over　him；　and　murmured；　as　if　choking　with　intoxication

〃Oh；　do　not　move！　do　not　speak！　look　at　me！　Something　so　sweet
comes　from　your　eyes　that　helps　me　so　much！〃

She　called　him　〃child。〃　〃Child；　do　you　love　me？〃

And　she　did　not　listen　for　his　answer　in　the　haste　of　her　lips
that　fastened　to　his　mouth。

On　the　clock　there　was　a　bronze　cupid；　who　smirked　as　he　bent　his
arm　beneath　a　golden　garland。　They　had　laughed　at　it　many　a　time；
but　when　they　had　to　part　everything　seemed　serious　to　them。

Motionless　in　front　of　each　other；　they　kept　repeating；　〃Till
Thursday；　till　Thursday。〃

Suddenly　she　seized　his　head　between　her　hands；　kissed　him
hurriedly　on　the　forehead；　crying；　〃Adieu！〃　and　rushed　down　the
stairs。

She　went　to　a　hairdresser's　in　the　Rue　de　la　Comedie　to　have　her
hair　arranged。　Night　fell；　the　gas　was　lighted　in　the　shop。　She
heard　the　bell　at　the　theatre　calling　the　mummers　to　the
performance；　and　she　saw；　passing　opposite；　men　with　white　faces
and　women　in　faded　gowns　going　in　at　the　stage…door。

It　was　hot　in　the　room；　small；　and　too　low　where　the　stove　was
hissing　in　the　midst　of　wigs　and　pomades。　The　smell　of　the　tongs；
together　with　the　greasy　hands　that　handled　her　head；　soon
stunned　her；　and　she　dozed　a　little　in　her　wrapper。　Often；　as　he
did　her　hair；　the　man　offered　her　tickets　for　a　masked　ball。

Then　she　went　away。　She　went　up　the　streets；　reached　the
Croix…Rouge；　put　on　her　overshoes；　that　she　had　hidden　in　the
morning　under　the　seat；　and　sank　into　her　place　among　the
impatient　passengers。　Some　got　out　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。　She
remained　alone　in　the　carriage。　At　every　turning　all　the　lights
of　the　town　were　seen　more　and　more　completely；　making　a　great
luminous　vapour　about　the　dim　houses。　Emma　knelt　on　the　cushions
and　her　eyes　wandered　over　the　dazzling　light。　She　sobbed；　called
on　Leon；　sent　him　tender　words　and　kisses　lost　in　the　wind。

On　the　hillside　a　poor　devil　wandered　about　with　his　stick　in　the
midst　of　the　diligences。　A　mass　of　rags　covered　his　shoulders；
and　an　old　staved…in　beaver；　turned　out　like　a　basin；　hid　his
face；　but　when　he　took　it　off　he　discovered　in　the　place　of
eyelids　empty　and　bloody　orbits。　The　flesh　hung　in　red　shreds；
and　there　flowed　from　it　liquids　that　congealed　into　green　scale
down　to　the　nose；　whose　black　nostrils　sniffed　convulsively。　To
speak　to　you　he　threw　back　his　head　with　an　idiotic　laugh；　then
his　bluish　eyeballs；　rolling　constantly；　at　the　temples　beat
against　the　edge　of　the　open　wound。　He　sang　a　little　song　as　he
followed　the　carriages

〃Maids　an　the　warmth　of　a　summer　day
Dream　of　love；　and　of　love　always〃

And　all　the　rest　was　about　birds　and　sunshine　and　green　leaves。

Sometimes　he　appeared　suddenly　behind　Emma；　bareheaded；　and　she
drew　back　with　a　cry。　Hivert　made　fun　of　him。　He　would　advise　him
to　get　a　booth　at　the　Saint　Romain　fair；　or　else　ask　him；
laughing；　how　his　young　woman　was。

Often　they　had　started　when；　with　a　sudden　movement；　his　hat
entered　the　diligence　through　the　small　window；　while　he　clung
with　his　other　arm　to　the　footboard；　between　the　wheels　splashing
mud。　His　voice；　feeble　at　first　and　quavering；　grew　sharp；　it
resounded　in　the　night　like　the　indistinct　moan　of　a　vague
distress；　and　through　the　ringing　of　the　bells；　the　murmur　of　the
trees；　and　the　rumbling　of　the　empty　vehicle；　it　had　a　far…off
sound　that　disturbed　Emma。　It　went　to　the　bottom　of　her　soul；
like　a　whirlwind　in　an　abyss；　and　carried　her　away　into　the
distances　of　a　boundless　melancholy。　But　Hivert；　noticing　a
weight　behind；　gave　the　blind　man　sharp　cuts　with　his　whip。　The
thong　lashed　his　wounds；　and　he　fell　back　into　the　mud　with　a
yell。　Then　the；　passengers　in　the　〃Hirondelle〃　ended　by　falling
asleep；　some　with　open　mouths；　others　with　lowered　chins；　leaning
against　their　neighbour's　shoulder；　or　with　their　arm　passed
through　the　strap；　oscillating　regularly　with　the　jolting　of　the
carriage；　and　the　reflection　of　the　lantern　swinging　without；　on
the　crupper　of　the　wheeler；　penetrating　into　the　interior　through
the　chocolate　calico　curtains；　threw　sanguineous　shadows　over　all
these　motionless　people。　Emma；　drunk　with　grief；　shivered　in　her
clothes；　feeling　her　feet　grow　colder　and　colder；　and　death　in
her　soul。

Charles　at　home　was　waiting　for　her；　the　〃Hirondelle〃　was　always
late　on　Thursdays。　Madame　arrived　at　last；　and　scarcely　kissed
the　child。　The　dinner　was　not　ready。　No　matter！　She　excused　the
servant。　This　girl　now　seemed　allowed　to　do　just　as　she　liked。

Often　her　husband；　noting　her　pallor；　asked　if　she　were　unwell。

〃No；〃　said　Emma。

〃But；〃　he　replied；　〃you　seem　so　strange　this　evening。〃

〃Oh；　it's　nothing！　nothing！〃

There　were　even　days　when　she　had　no　sooner　come　in　than　she　went
up　to　her　room；　and　Justin；　happening　to　be　there；　moved　about
noiselessly；　quicker　at　helping　her　than　the　best　of　maids。　He
put　the　matches　ready；　the　candlestick；　a　book；　arranged　her
nightgown；　turned　back　the　bedclothes。

〃Come！〃　said　she；　〃that　will　do。　Now　you　can　go。〃

For　he　stood　there；　his　hands　hanging　down　and　his　eyes　wide
open；　as　if　enmeshed　in　the　innumerable　threads　of　a　sudden
reverie。

The　following　day　was　frightful；　and　those　that　came　after　still
more　unbearable；　because　of　her　impatience　to　once　again　seize
her　happiness；　an　ardent　lust；　inflamed　by　the　images　of　past
experience；　and　that　burst　forth　freely　on　the　seventh　day
beneath　Leon's　caresses。　His　ardours　were　hidden　beneath
outbursts　of　wonder　and　gratitude。　Emma　tasted　this　love　in　a
discreet；　absorbed　fashion；　maintained　it　by　all　the　artifices　of
her　tenderness；　and　trembled　a　little　lest　it　should　be　lost
later　on。

She　often　said　to　him；　with　her　sweet；　melancholy　voice

〃Ah！　you　too；　you　will　leave　me！　You　will　marry！　You　will　be　like
all　the　others。〃

He　asked；　〃What　others？〃

〃Why；　like　all　men；〃　she　replied。　Then　added；　repulsing　him　with
a　languid　movement

〃You　are　all　evil！〃

One　day；　as　they　were　talking　philosophically　of　earthly
disillusions；　to　experiment　on　his　jealousy；　or　yielding；
perhaps；　to　an　over…strong　need　to　pour　out　her　heart；　she　told
him　that　formerly；　before　him；　she　had　loved　someone。

〃Not　like　you；〃　she　went　on　quickly；　protesting　by　the　head　of
her　child　that　〃nothing　had　passed　between　them。〃

The　young　man　believed　her；　but　none　the　less　questioned　her　to
find　out　what　he　was。

〃He　was　a　ship's　captain；　my　dear。〃

Was　this　not　preventing　any　inquiry；　and；　at　the　same　time；
assuming　a　higher　ground　through　this　pretended　fascination
exercised　over　a　man　who　must　have　been　of　warlike　nature　and
accustomed　to　receive　homage？

The　clerk　then　felt　the　lowliness　of　his　position；　he　longed　for
epaulettes；　crosses；　titles。　All　that　would　please　herhe
gathered　that　from　her　spendthrift　habits。

Emma　nevertheless　concealed　many　of　these　extravagant　fancies；
such　as　her　wish　to　have　a　blue　tilbury　to　drive　into　Rouen；
drawn　by　an　English　horse　and　driven　by　a　groom　in　top…boots。　It
was　Justin　who　had　inspired　her　with　this　whim；　by　begging　her　to
take　him　into　her　service　as　valet…de…chambre*；　and　if　the
privation　of　it　did　not　lessen　the　pleasure　of　her　arrival　at
each　rendezvous；　it　certainly　augmented　the　bitterness　of　the
return。

*　Manservant。


Often；　when　they　talked　together　of　Paris；　she　ended　by
murmuring；　〃Ah！　how　happy　we　should　be　there！〃

〃Are　we　not　happy？〃　gently　answered　the　young　man　passing　his
hands　over　her　hair。

〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　mad。　Kiss　me！〃

To　her　husband　she　was　more　charming　than　ever。　She　made　him
pistachio…creams；　and　played　him　waltzes　after　dinner。　So　he
thought　himself　the　most　fortunate　of　men　and　Emma　was　without
uneasiness；　when；　one　evening　suddenly　he　said

〃It　is　Mademoiselle　Lempereur；　isn't　it；　who　gives　you　lessons？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　I　saw　her　just　now；〃　Charles　went　on；　〃at　Madame
Liegeard's。　I　spoke　to　her　about　you；　and　she　doesn't　know　you。〃

This　was　like　a　thunderclap。　However；　she　replied　quite
naturally

〃Ah！　no　doubt　she　forgot　my　name。〃

〃But　perhaps；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃there　are　several　Demoiselles
Lempereur　at　Rouen　who　are　music…mistresses。〃

〃Possibl